Breaking the Law?

Thinking about dragging a dead horse down Yonge Street this Sunday? If that’s not rebellious enough for you, take a bath in the city of Etobicoke with more than 3.5 inches of water in your tub. That’ll be sure to shake things up!

From surprising bylaws to controversial criminal offenses, you may be surprised how easily and often the law can be broken.

1. Deke your way out of this one Contradicting the healthy lifestyle the government encourages, playing the active sport of hockey on the road is actually illegal. Many people have been breaking this law, which was implemented in the 1970s, their whole lives. Government officials are currently evaluating the possibility of legalizing playing hockey on the streets of Toronto. Until then, kids and hockey players around the city are at risk of being fined $55 every time their stick hits the streets.

2. Puppy love Are you the neighbourhood cat lady or an extreme dog lover? Well, if you live in Vaughan, you may be breaking the law. Bylaw 53-2002 states that you cannot have more than three cats or three dogs in your home, unless you have a kennel licence. The penalty for failing to comply with this bylaw is a fine of up to a shocking $5,000.

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3. O Canada After every dreadful snowfall in the long and cold winter months, shovelling your driveway can seem like the biggest chore. Clearing snow off your property and covering the driveway and sidewalk with salt is not only decent injury prevention, but it is also mandatory in Vaughan. If snow is not removed within 24 hours of a snowfall, the city will take action, at your expense.

4.  Curious George There’s something oddly enticing about opening up mail to find out what’s inside, even if you’re not the rightful owner. Maybe you moved into a new home and the mail for the previous owners keeps popping up. Although you may think the act is innocent, the Canada Post Corporation Act says that opening someone else’s mail is actually a criminal offence and can lead to imprisonment of up to five years.

5. Not so public space In Toronto, being in a public park after 11 p.m. is actually illegal. Controversial among citizens, two artists took action in partnership with The Theatre Centre on July 17th and 18th. “Zs by the C” is a public napping project that was created to take a lighthearted stance against putting boundaries on public spaces. Residents of Toronto came together at a Queen Street West neighbourhood park to spend two days crafting personalized sleeping masks and catching some controversial shut-eye.